Tuesday, 20 September 2022

Maroondah Hospital

Ms VALLENCE (Evelyn) (12:41): Fixing our health system after eight years of underinvestment and neglect by the Andrews government is the number one priority for the Victorian Liberals. On Saturday it was tremendous to help announce our commitment to redevelop the Maroondah Hospital, which is the closest major public hospital for residents in my local community. From Lilydale, Mooroolbark, Mount Evelyn and right through the Yarra Valley we have relied on the wonderful nurses, doctors and healthcare workforce at Maroondah, but the staff and facilities are stretched. Maroondah Hospital has been completely ignored by the Andrews government. There is regular ambulance ramping and surgery delays. It is shocking that under Labor patients at Maroondah are forced to use portable toilets and be seen in a tent because of emergency department overflows.

Let us not forget that at the 2018 election the Premier promised a new flagship emergency department for Maroondah Hospital but four years later has delivered absolutely nothing—yet another broken promise from Labor for our community. I am so determined to see Maroondah Hospital upgraded, and our plan, in consultation with Eastern Health, could deliver expanded training facilities for more trainee nurses and doctors, a new emergency department, a new ICU, more beds, more car parks, more facilities for mental health services and stage 2 of the comprehensive cancer centre. Residents across the outer east deserve a modern, fit-for-purpose hospital to benefit patients and staff, and only a Guy Liberal government will deliver it.